The God Of This World: Gnostic Insights Into Mormonism Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, with forty-plus million copies sold and a movie version, has highlighted the alternative Christianity of Gnosticism. In his The American Religion, Harold Bloom notes the Gnostic characteristics of Mormonism, such as belief in the uncreated essence of the individual and her ability to receive direct revelation. But Gnosticism also has important differences, notably the belief that this world was created by an evil, god-like being. Should the case for this view cause Latter-day Saints to rethink some of their assumptions about the purpose of life?

Scott S. Smith, Presenter; Maxine Hanks, Respondent